HEBRON -- Trump was not on the menu at the hotel in Northern Kentucky where Sen. Rand Paul, Gov. Matt Bevin and Rep. Thomas Massie spoke Friday.

Some of the most powerful Republicans in Kentucky not named Mitch McConnell gathered with 300 tea party members Friday night at the Marriott in Hebron.

No one mentioned President Donald Trump, North Korea and the threat of nuclear war. There was plenty of praise of George Washington. And criticism for the media and Republicans who voted against repealing Obamacare.

The Northern Kentucky Tea Party brought them there, along with Rep. Jim Jordan from Ohio.

They called it the Champions of Liberty dinner, a fundraiser for the tea party groups.

A wall with pictures of guns for raffle was by the stage. Many in attendance felt their right to bear arms remains at risk.

“We’re not rolling back the stealing of our Second Amendment rights,” Massie told the cheering crowd.

Here are four takeaways from the evening:

Republicans doing a delicate dance

President Donald Trump has created an uncomfortable situation for Kentucky Republicans with his tweets this week. Trump attacked on Twitter Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not repealing Obamacare.

“Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldn’t get it done,” Trump tweeted. “Must Repeal & Replace Obamacare!”

None of the speakers mentioned Trump Friday night. Prior to the dinner in an interview with The Enquirer, Paul defended McConnell but avoided directly criticizing Trump.

Instead, he redirected his vitriol at the Republicans who didn’t vote for repealing Obamacare.

“I think if there’s blame to go around in failing in the repeal effort, it should go to those who promised to repeal,” Paul said. “Sen. McConnell voted for repeal, as he did in 2015. He’s been consistently for repeal.”

The speakers on Friday just avoided the topic of Trump and McConnell altogether. Tea Party President Larry Robinson mentioned McConnell’s name once, drawing murmurs and some boos from an audience that views him as part of the establishment.

Instead, criticism focused on the media, Barack Obama, and other Republicans they don’t like. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Ill., and former Speaker of the House John Boehner from West Chester also drew boos.

Repeal or bust

Many of the 300 people at the dinner want Obamacare repealed regardless of whether the Republicans have a replacement.

“I feel like it was unconstitutional to begin with,” said Savannah Maddox, the Grant County GOP chairwoman, as she walked into the dinner.

Earlier in the day before a handful of people at a senior center in Independence, Paul touted his plan for the president to tweak the law to expand “associated health plans.” It would allow individuals to form groups to use their increased bargaining power to buy health insurance. Paul gave the example of the National Restaurant Association as one such group.

“Hourly workers in our restaurants might have a chance to get insurance,” Paul told The Enquirer. “I think it could be bigger than anything we’ve ever done.”

Paul and Massie focused a large portion of their speeches mocking Obamacare and the idea of a single-payer health care system.

“People are always talking about single-payer,” Massie said. “Have you put anything on eBay and had a single buyer? You have something that’s pretty crappy.”

Bevin really loves George Washington

Bevin kept the controversy and policy talk to a minimum

The Kentucky governor made some oblique criticisms of the media but largely talked about how great George Washington was.

Bevin didn’t mention anything about a pension and tax reform or the possibility of a special session. Nor did he mention the recent controversy with the valuation of his house and the news drones over his house.

“The greatness of this nation is predicated on the backs and lives of people like George Washington,” Bevin said. “Don’t lose your passion. Don’t lose your nerve. Don’t lose your fight.”

A small group of protesters gather outside an event where Sen. Rand Paul will speak to supporters during The Champions of Liberty Rally in Hebron, Ky., Friday, Aug 11, 2017. Sen Rand will be joined at the fundraising event by Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, and U.S. Reps Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.(Photo: AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

A handful of protesters make it out

Boone County remains one of the most Republican counties in the state. But a handful of protestors stood outside the Marriott. They were with the progressive Indivisible NKY District 4.

They demanded Paul and Massie hold public town halls, instead of talking at fundraisers like the one Friday.

Ann Dickerson, of Independence, was one of five protestors who arrived 30 minutes before the speeches. She held a sign that said, “Democracy over Dollars/Town halls now.”

“If I could see them face-to-face, I would sit down and talk to them about health care,” Dickerson said. “I would talk to them about the Department of Education, the EPA. I would talk to them both about concerns as to the mental fitness of our commander-in-chief.”

Many other members of Congress have avoided public town halls to avoid confrontation with irate constituents.

Paul and Massie haven’t held a public town hall in Northern Kentucky this year. None have been announced